Back in 2006, in the span of four months, I attended both the opening of Apple’s flagship store in NYC and U2’s book signing. At U2’s book signing, I thought one of the members of the press looked familiar, and I made a mental note to go and check my Apple Store opening day photos to see if he was there as well. It’s been about five years, so I guess it’s time to do that.
Apple Store Opening
While waiting on line for hours you tend to notice things about some of the other people on the line with you. Being 6’6” I have a perspective that most others don’t, and I’m able to see more than just the eight other people in my immediate vicinity. One guy that stood out that day was a tall guy with a rasta tam on his head and a Canon 1D in his hands. He was a little unique because most people don’t use an $8,000-$10,000 camera, so I noticed that right away, and his height and the rasta tam certainly helped make him a little more memorable as well. I remember thinking something to the effect of, “If he’s got that camera, he’s press, and if he’s press, what’s he doing on line?”
U2 Book Signing
While waiting on line at the U2 book signing, I was standing right near where the press was going to take photos of U2 in front of a wall of books. Because of that, I noticed the tall, rasta tam wearing press guy with a Canon 1D immediately, and thought, “Wait…wasn’t he at the Apple store opening?”
Now, let me just say that I don’t think all tall, rasta tam wearing dudes with expensive cameras look alike, but then again, you don’t see them every day.
Comparison
While in my mind I was 95% sure it was the same guy, I wanted to have something more conclusive…like a photo. The photo of The Press Dude at the U2 Book Signing was good, but I wasn’t sure I had anything except a far-away shot of The Press Dude at the Apple Store opening – it’s not like he was a subject that I was going to photograph, so any good pictures of him would be accidental.
I fired up Lightroom and scoured all the photos I had from the opening. The very last photo I took in the store that day was a wide shot of the chaos inside the store near the Genius Bar as people filled out their sweepstakes cards, and jockeyed to get their free t-shirt. In a corner of the photo is a man in a white rasta tam filling out his sweepstakes card. And right next to him is his Canon 1D.
I found my white whale.
The hair color; the sideburns; the mustache; the rasta tam; the Canon 1D. My conclusion: same dude.
But how come he had a press pass for U2, but not for the Apple Store opening, which had a lot more press?
